La Liga President Calls for FIFA Chief to Resign
La Liga president Javier Tebas has stepped up his criticism of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, stating that the football governing body’s leader should step down because he is “destroying the football industry.”
Speaking to Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, Tebas said Infantino’s tenure has run its course and accused FIFA of placing the World Cup above domestic competitions.
Electoral Process Limits Change
Tebas argued that FIFA’s electoral system leaves little space for opposition, noting that no one wants to run just to lose.
He added that, despite private dissent among stakeholders, public challenges remain rare, which he views as either silence or complicity in the damage being done to football.
Controversies Around the 2026 World Cup
While in the United States to watch Spain secure the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Tebas cited the case of American striker Folarin Balogun, whose suspension before a last‑16 match against Belgium was delayed after intervention from then‑US President Donald Trump.
He said the postponement was a serious matter and that Belgium’s victory spared Infantino from a potential crisis, calling such incidents “the tip of the iceberg.”
UEFA Reaction and World Cup Expansion
UEFA had previously condemned FIFA’s decision as “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable,” with its president Aleksander Ceferin boycotting the final in protest.
Tebas also rejected FIFA’s proposal to enlarge future World Cups to 64 teams, insisting that domestic leagues are the true foundation of the sport.
He warned that increasing the number of national teams serves no purpose, harms the football industry that supports tens of thousands of jobs, and benefits only a short tournament that involves a minority of players.
Commercial Motives Behind Matchday Rules
The La Liga boss criticised mandatory hydration breaks and the extended 27‑minute halftime show at the World Cup final, claiming they serve advertising rather than player welfare.
He noted that while La Liga uses hydration breaks only in genuine heat, the venues in Dallas, Los Angeles and Atlanta had air‑conditioned pitches, forcing spectators to wear jumpers.
“These breaks are a lie,” Tebas said, accusing FIFA of acting solely in its own interests and to the detriment of the wider football ecosystem.
Ronaldo’s Social Media Reaction Fuels Debate
The discussion gained extra attention after Cristiano Ronaldo liked an Instagram post that denounced FIFA in strong terms.
The post, featuring Spanish journalists Pilar Rodrigues Losantos and Ruben Amon, labelled FIFA “corrupt,” accused it of manipulating outcomes to favour Lionel Messi, and criticised ticket pricing for turning football into an elite spectacle.
Officiating Controversies During the Tournament
FIFA also faced scrutiny over several refereeing decisions involving Argentina, including a challenge by Lionel Messi on Algeria’s captain Aissa Mandi that went unpunished, and Egypt’s protests over VAR rulings that denied a penalty appeal for Mohamed Salah before Argentina’s winning goal.
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